What to Say When They Ask the Hard Questions – Turn the Mic Tuesday

Please welcome my new blogger friend Carrie Anderson. She has a unique voice and a heart for God’s Word and I am thrilled to have her share with us today!

Recently my 8-year-old son dropped a bombshell on me. Being a Christian single mom, the spiritual leader of my home, and someone who has come out of a false religion, I take this responsibility God has given me very seriously.

I Want a REAL Bible

One evening before our mid-week service at church, my son and I were browsing in the church bookstore. He informed me that he wanted a real bible. At first, I didn’t understand what he meant.

“You have a real bible”

“No, I want a realBible. Like yours.”

I explained to him that his children’s Bible was real, but he insisted he get a new Bible. Who am I to argue when a child wants a Bible, right? The volunteer and I showed him several different options. Different sizes, different versions. But he had seen the one he wanted and had his heart set on it.

A compact Bible, small enough to fit in his little hands, hardcover. And NKJV. I tried showing him the NLT and NIV, having him read sections of them, thinking he would see the language and vocabulary was better suited to his reading level and 8-year-old understanding, but he insisted. It was the NKVJ or nothing.

So I bought him the Bible, and off we went to our respective studies.

It was not until after we left and were on our way home that he confided in me why.

Our church has a strong apologetics emphasis (perfect for an apologetics nut like me), and uses an apologetics curriculum within the children’s and youth ministries. (Sweet!) Currently, they are learning about creation, and specifically had been taught that dinosaurs lived on the earth at the same time as humans. And he wasn’t buying it.

The revelation that my 8-year-old son – my buddy, my go-to guy – did not believe in the young earth creation model made my heart sink faster than a pair of cement shoes being thrown in the Hudson. A kick in the gut for a fleeting second to a young earth, creationist parent. But immediately popped this thought into my head:

He wanted a real Bible because he believes that the answers to his questions are in there. He believes this is where you find truth, and he trusts God’s Word. He’s an apologist.

And my heart leapt for joy!

What to Say When Your Kid Asks if Dinosaurs & Humans Lived on the Earth at the Same Time

So he and I talked about his belief. I asked him why he believed the earth was millions of years old, why he doesn’t believe it is possible that God made the earth in only 6 literal days, why he doesn’t believe that dinosaurs and humans co-existed at the same time.

We went over Bible verses that young earth creationists point to as scriptural evidence. And it also forced me to consider my own position, and to find scriptural support for the old earth creation model. Why? I could stop with YEC. I could only present what I believe as being fact. But I prefer to not be dogmatic on issues that are not salvific. I prefer to present him with as much of the picture as possible, allowing room for him to develop his own critical and analytical thinking skills. You can be sure this will be a topic of debate between the two of us for some time, but for now the answer he and I have arrived at is:

It is entirely possible that dinosaurs and humans lived on the earth at the same time, and it is also possible that they did not. We each have to do our own research and bible study on it, and follow the facts. We have to keep an open mind that either position may be wrong. Our salvation comes from Jesus and Jesus alone, and that is the most important thing we need to believe.

WHAT TO SAY WHEN YOUR KID ASKS YOU THE HARD QUESTIONS

What do you tell your child when you are asked the tough questions, the ones which seem that God has not seen fit to provide us clear-cut answers for?

No matter which way you lean on this issue or any other that is debated at length within the church, I urge you to not leave it unanswered, undiscussed, within your family. There will come a day when your child will be called upon to provide an answer for the hope that lies within him or her, and they will need the confidence that comes from having been raised in a family that cherishes the word of God. That seeks scriptural answers to the questions thrown at us by the world.

RESOURCES FOR YOU

There are many resources for you all over the internet, in libraries and bookstores. I’ve collected just a few of them here for you to check out, to help you in preparing yourself to give an answer to your kids when they ask. If you have a tough question that you don’t know how to answer, I invite you to leave it here in the comments, or contact me. I might answer it in a future article!

Carrie is an Ex-Mormon girl living in a Never-Mormon world, encouraging Christian women to love God with their minds so that they will be the fierce defenders of the faith God has called them to be. She writes at Woman Apologist, reads countless books; and loves bacon, coffee and chocolate. Chat with her on Twitter: @Woman_Apologist

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Comments

I love, love, LOVE this!! It actually brought back wonderful memories, not of dinosaurs (I’m not that old), but of Bible discussions between my dad and me around the dinner table. Kyle is a very blessed young man to have a mom who understands the importance of apologetics!

Thanks Debbie! I didn’t grow up having bible discussions around the dinner table, so this is me flying blind, and learning and trying to do what God would have me do – all day, every day. How wonderful you had those discussions with your dad!

(What do you mean you’re not that old? Don’t you remember walking alongside the brontosaurus? Or would that be brontosauri?)

I also highly recommend getting Natasha Crain’s book mentioned, it’s chock full of good stuff! You’ll be needing it soon!

HI Carrie, I praise God with you for saving you and helping you to teach your son the truth. That is so important and I love how you didn’t just tell him he was not believing the truth, but helped to draw him out and answer his concerns. yes, indeed – he IS an apologist – just like His mom. Blessings on you and him, Amy

Thanks so much, Amy! I’ve learned the hard way that we cannot simply tell someone that they do not have the truth – we have to show them. Engage in conversational apologetics (even with the kiddos!). Ask the question – Why do you believe that?

Carrie, I know you are proud of your son and his pursuit for truth. You have done something right. He is proof positive that training our children up in the fear and admonition of the Lord pays off. My children are adults but I have grandchildren. Thanks for the resources. Blessings to you.

I am definitely proud that without my prompting him, he is assuming the Berean Approach. That tells me that God has him right where He wants him – in the palm of His hand. I hope you check those resources out so you can start training up your grandbabies! Do you have any tips to share with the rest of us that are still in active child-rearing mode?

I look up resources like the ones you mentioned! I show him the evidence with this parting thought: You’ll be able to ask Jesus in Heaven! He’ll explain all those mysteries that we can’t reconcile, if we keep the faith. The important thing is to never walk away from the authoritative, inerrant Word of God! This was a great post!

You are so right, Maria! Not everything is reconcilable to our finite minds. That is why His thoughts are higher than our thoughts, and His ways higher than our ways, right? I love that you encourage to the Word!

This is fantastic. I love the resources as well, as I frequent them a lot now and back then as a young adult. I love your story about your child asking for a “real” bible! No watering down required for the message.

Excellent! Hang in there teaching your son according to his ability to understand. You’re doing everything right! It is so very important to lay the groundwork of young earth creation at an early age. The world will teach them so much differently. God bless you on your journey!

Thanks Norma Gail for the encouragement! I am happy to report he has already changed his mind. All he wanted was to read Job 40:15-24 for himself LOL. I’m wondering if he simply didn’t trust the text the teachers were using in church?

I think it is wonderful that instead of being or feeling defeated when your son told you he wasn’t buying into the whole humans and dinosaurs coexisting, you realized that he knows the TRUTH is in GOD’S World!!! It’s also great that you are studying this out with your son. We have to know why we believe what we believe 🙂

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I am wife to Matt, and mom to Johnathan, Ian, and Jacob. I have the incredible privilege to be a follower of Jesus Christ. I am just a regular mom who stumbles and falls more often than I like to admit. My hope is that by sharing the stories and words God lays on my heart with others that someone might come to know Him and realize how truly beautiful they are! Read More…

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